This I Believe

I remember walking out of the dimly lit doorway of my small elementary school and onto the chaotic playground. As I sat alone on the black and rusted swing, I saw a group of vivacious girls coming toward me. At first, I smiled, thinking they would want to be friends, but my smile quickly faded when one of the girls harshly yelled out, ” What are you looking at, fatty!?” The other girls all howled with laughter in unison as they passed by. I was completely frozen because standing up to the popular girls was obviously something I was in no position to do. I was extremely self conscious throughout elementary school because of my inconvenient weight problem. I was always concerned about what the other kids thought about me. I found myself wishing that I knew how to make my weight problem go away. That is why I strongly believe that healthy eating habits and vigorous activities should be instilled in children during childhood. I believe that parents and teachers should always teach children to make healthy meal decisions. If these actions are taken early, the risk of kids being overweight can potentially be avoided. This, I believe, can help kids have a brighter and better childhood. I am, in no way, asking children to be familiar with all the latest diet fads and weight loss supplements. I am not expecting children to understand and practice the method of counting carbohydrates and calories. I simply want children to be aware of the benefits of eating an apple as opposed to eating a piece of chocolate cake. I believe that children should be well informed about the health risks that can occur in the result of obesity. Children should be encouraged to participate in sports and other means of exercise. Helping kids stay active everyday will allow them to exert their energy in a positive way. I believe if this lifestyle is introduced to kids early on, they will know of its importance and be willing to stick with it throughout their adulthood. They will stay motivated and positive knowing that they are strong and healthy.

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This week’s essay

Bill Gates founded Microsoft on the dream of putting a computer in every home and office. He says he built his company on the belief that technology, creativity and intelligence can change the world. Click here to read his essay.